System and method of reporting a status of another system through an electronic price label system

ABSTRACT

A system and method of reporting a status of another system through an electronic price label (EPL). The system includes the EPL and a computer coupled to the EPL which monitors the status of the second system and causes the EPL to display a status message indicating the status of the second system. The second system may include a POS system, credit authorization system, or any other in-store system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to co-pending application Ser. No.08/503,144, entitled "METHOD FOR DETECTING AND REPORTING FAILURES INELECTRONIC PRICE LABEL SYSTEMS", having as inventor, John Goodwin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to system monitoring and status reportingsystems, and more specifically to a system and method of reporting astatus of another system through an electronic price label (EPL) system.

Retail establishments typically include a plurality of separate computersystems or networks. Each of these systems has a central back-officeserver. For example, the point-of-sale (POS) system provides item priceand other information to checkout terminals after items are scanned atthe checkout terminals.

Another system is the credit authorization system which allows a POSsystem to clear credit card and check purchases.

Another system is the EPL system. EPL systems typically include aplurality of EPLs for each merchandise item in a retail establishment.EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items onretail establishment shelves and are typically attached to a rail alongthe leading edge of the shelves. A retail establishment may containthousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. TheEPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about theEPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price informationdisplayed by the EPLs is obtained from the PLU file.

Retail establishment personnel must monitor the condition of theseindividual networks in the back office where the computers reside. Thus,when personnel are working in the merchandise and produce aisles, theydo not notice system errors when they occur.

Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of reporting thestatus of the one or more systems, including the EPL system, at manylocations throughout a retail establishment. It would further bedesirable to use the EPLs to display system status messages for thesesystems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system andmethod of reporting a status of another system through an electronicprice label system is provided.

The EPL system monitors the status of the one system and causes an EPLto display a status message indicating the status of the second system.The second system may include a POS system, credit authorization system,or any other in-store system.

Under the reporting method, the EPL computer reads fault data created bythe one system to determine the status of the one system, sends a datachange message to an EPL within the EPL system to display a statusmessage including a first message if the status reflects a normaloperating condition and a second message if the status reflects a faultyoperating condition. If the status reflects a faulty operatingcondition, the EPL computer may additionally clear the status messageunder operator command. Alternatively, the operator may manually clearthe status message by engaging a switch in the EPL.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a systemand method of reporting a status of another system through an EPLsystem.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system andmethod of reporting status of a system through an EPL system which iscapable of monitoring the status of several different retail systems,including an EPL system, a point-of-sale (POS) system, and a creditauthorization and reporting system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system andmethod of reporting a status of another system through an EPL systemthat causes predetermined EPLs to display status and error messages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system andmethod of reporting a status of another system through an EPL systemthat causes predetermined EPLs to display time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method ofmonitoring applications such as transaction applications whichcommunicate with a host system for PLU changes, bad check file updates,frequent shopper program updates, etc., and scale managementapplications, which download information to in-store scales for localbar code production (like at the deli counter).

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method ofmonitoring in-store systems, such as air conditioning systems andfreezer and cooler systems.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method ofreporting system status using a noisemaker within an EPL.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relatesfrom the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and theappended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram including a plurality of retail systems whosecurrent conditions are reported using the method of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a more detailed view of the diagram of FIG. 1,including a more detailed view of an EPL system;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an EPL module;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an EPL failure detection andreporting method;

FIG. 5 is a chart of EPL tests performed, purpose of tests, and methodsof detection;

FIG. 6 is a chart of EPL faults monitored, actions, and recommendations;and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating the method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, retail store system 10 primarilyincludes EPLs 18a-d, EPL fault data file 26a, and status reportingsoftware 54. EPL fault data file 26a is created by EPL diagnosticsoftware 30a within an EPL system 11 (FIGS. 2A and 2B).

EPLs 18a-d include "normal" EPLs 21a-d and status reporting EPLs 19a-d.Normal EPLs are mounted to shelves and displays for the purpose ofconveying price and other information to customers. Status reportingEPLs 19a-d may be mounted throughout a store or carried by employees forthe purpose of reporting store system status information to employees.

Status reporting software 54 periodically reads EPL fault data file 26aand causes status messages to be displayed by EPLs 19a-d, includingmessages indicative of problems detected by EPL diagnostic software 30a.

Status reporting software 54 preferably resides in EPL system 11.

Status reporting software 54 may also periodically read fault data filesfrom other systems. For example, if a point-of-sale (POS) system 50(FIGS. 2A and 2B) were to store system status messages in a POS faultdata file 26b, status reporting software 54 would periodically read POSfault data file 26b and cause EPLs 19a-d to display the status of POSsystem 50. In such a case, EPL system 11 and POS system 50 would beconnected, preferably through a network.

In order to read fault data files from other systems, status reportingsoftware 54 understands multiple file formats.

Also shown is a credit fault data file 26c which is created by a creditauthorization system 52 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) within the retailestablishment. Through a network connection to credit authorizationsystem 52, status reporting software 54 reads credit fault data file 26cin a similar manner.

Status reporting EPLs 19a-d display status messages which alert retailestablishment personnel to a problem in any of the monitored systems.EPLs 19a-d are included within the total group of installed EPL, EPLs18a-d (FIGS. 2A and 2B). Preferably, status reporting EPLs 19a-d arespread out throughout the retail establishment. An EPL may even becarried by a store employee as a pager.

With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, EPL system 11 includes computer 12,storage medium 14, communication base stations (CBSs) 15a-d, CBS powersupply 16a-b, EPLs 18a-d, display 22, printer 23, communicationscircuitry 24, and noisemaker 25. Server 50 and server 52 could share thesame CPU and storage system.

Computer 12 executes EPL control software 20, EPL diagnostic software30a, and fault data file monitoring software 54.

EPL control software 20 records, schedules, and transmits price changesto EPLs 18a-d through CBSs 15a-d, and receives and analyzes statusmessages from EPLs 18a-d through CBSs 15a-d. EPL control software 20also maintains and uses EPL data file 28, which contains iteminformation, identification information, item price verifierinformation, and status information for each of EPLs 18a-d.

EPL control software 20 primarily includes data scheduler 34 and CBSmanager 36. Data scheduler 34 schedules EPL price change messages to besent to EPLs 18a-d through CBSs 15 and 16.

CBS manager 36 schedules the actual transmission of price changemessages to EPLs 18a-d and the reception of status messages from EPLs18a-d for predetermined time slots.

EPL diagnostic software 30a automatically monitors EPL system 11 forfailures, logs failures in EPL fault data file 26a, displays failures ondisplay 22, prints failure reports using printer 23, and reportsfailures and read faults that have been logged in EPL fault data file26a by other applications to support system 32 using communicationcircuitry 24. EPL diagnostic software may also cause noisemaker 25 toalert users of a failure. Noisemaker 25 preferably includes a speaker.Display 22, printer 23, and noisemaker 25 are preferably coupled tocomputer 12.

Computer 12 may include one or more communication ports 31a-b.

Storage medium 14 is preferably a fixed disk drive. Storage medium 14stores EPL fault data file 26a, EPL system configuration file 27, andEPL data file 28. EPL system configuration file tells computer 12 howsystem 11 is configured, i.e., the addresses of EPL system componentsand there location relative to other components within system 11.

CBSs 15a-d are connected together in series by cables 35a-c. Here, onlyfour CBSs are shown. CBSs 15a-d each include one transmit antenna 37 andup to four receive antennas 38 for transmitting and receiving messagesbetween CBSs 15a-d and EPLs 18a-d.

One or more of CBSs may receive power from a single power supply. Here,CBSs 15a-b receive power from CBS power supply 16a, and CBSs 15c-dreceive power from CBS power supply 16b.

CBSs 15a-d each include CBS circuitry 39 which controls operation ofeach CBS. In CBSs 15a-d, circuitry 39 maintains memory-based CBS data41. Within CBSs 15b-d, CBS data 41 contains error rates of communicationbetween CBS 15a and each of the other CBSs 15b-d. Within CBS 15a, CBSdata 41 contains error rates of communication between CBS 15a andcomputer 12. When CBS 15c is designated a master as explained below, CBSdata 41 contains error rates of communication between CBS 15c andcomputer 12. Excessively high error rates can signal a bad connection incables 33a-b, or cables 35a-c.

CBSs 15a-d also include a low-noise amplifier (LNA) 45 which amplifiessignals received by CBS receive antennas 38 so that CBS circuitry 39 canbetter process the information within those signals.

One cause of CBS failure is a failure of LNA 45. To determine whetherLNA 45 is faulty (failed or not connected), computer 12 transmits astatus message to CBS 15a, CBS 15a transmits the status message to EPL18a, and EPL 18a transmits a return signal to CBS 15a. If the returnsignal is not received by computer 12 through CBS 15a, computer 12determines whether LNA 45 is consuming power above a predeterminedminimum power level. If the power level is below the predeterminedminimum power level, computer 12 transmits a fault message to supportsystem 32.

The types of information logged within CBS data 41 include the number ofmessages sent to other CBSs and whether the other CBSs responded. CBSdata 41 also keeps track of the number of messages sent to the EPLs andif it `heard` anything of interest or not.

CBS 15a is a master CBS and CBSs 15b-d are slave CBSs. CBS 15acommunicates directly with computer 12. An alternate master may also bedesignated. Here, CBS 15c is shown as an alternate master whichcommunicates directly with computer 12 through cable 33b when CBS 15a isdown (not working properly), its communication port 31a is down, or whencable 33a between CBS 15a and computer 12 is down.

Communication circuitry 24 transmits failure messages generated by EPLdiagnostic software 30a to support system 32. Communication circuitry 24is preferably a modem, but could also include network circuitry, such asa local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) adapter.

Support system 32 is preferably a computer system with a modem locatedat the site of an EPL system vendor or EPL system technician.

POS system 50 and credit authorization system 52 include diagnosticsoftware as well. POS system 50 includes POS diagnostic software 30bwhich writes errors to POS fault data file 26b. Credit authorizationsystem 52 includes credit diagnostic software 30c which writes errors tocredit fault data file 26c.

POS diagnostic software 30 monitors occurrences in a POS device and logsmessages identifying any `problems` detected. Problems include printerjams, hardware and software failures of checkout terminal, failures ofdisplays, excessive cash in checkout terminal tills, excessively high(above void limit) voids (delete item from sale). Other problems notassociated with the operation of checkout terminals include messagesindicating that an item price check is needed and that customerassistance is needed (e.g., broken eggs, milk leaking).

Credit diagnostic software 30c monitors the communications link betweenthe store and the switch. Additionally this system alerts storepersonnel if server 52 is unable to establish a connection.

Turning now to FIG. 3, EPLs 18a-d each include battery 40, transmit andreceive antenna 42, display 46, memory 47, EPL circuitry 48, and switch56. Since there is only one antenna 42, if antenna 42 is broken, the EPLis considered broken or lost (not in the retail establishment).

Battery 40 provides power to EPLs 18a-d. A low battery voltage is onecause for EPL malfunction and failure.

Transmit and receive antenna 42 receives price change and statusmessages from CBS 15a-d. Failure of antenna 42 can cause EPL 18a-d tomiss price change requests from EPL control software 20.

Transmit and receive antenna 42 transmits responses to price change andstatus messages to CBS 15a-d. Failure of antenna 42 can prevent EPLcontrol software 20 from verifying that price changes have been receivedand displayed by EPL 18a-d.

Display 46 displays price and possibly additional information. Display46 is preferably a liquid crystal display and includes glass 49. Afailure of display 46, which may include a crack in glass 49, preventsEPL 18a-d from displaying price information to customers.

Memory 47 stores price verifier information. Preferably, the priceverifier information is a checksum of the displayed price.

EPL circuitry 48 controls the internal operation of EPL 18a-d. A failurewithin circuitry 48 can cause a total failure of EPL 18a-d.

Switch 56 allows an operator to manually clear a status message that isdisplayed by an EPL. Clearing may involve removing a status message frommemory 47 or clearing display 46. Switch 56 is preferably a push-buttonswitch, but other switches are also envisioned. Alerts may also becleared by sending a message from EPL computer 12.

Turning now to FIG. 4, the operation of EPL diagnostic software 30a isexplained in more detail, beginning with START 60.

In step 62, EPL diagnostic software 30a periodically sends aninstruction to CBS manager 36 to transmit a status request to CBSs 15a-dand EPLs 18a-d.

In step 64, EPL diagnostic software 30a receives a status reply from CBSmanager 36.

In step 66, EPL diagnostic software 30a compares the status message toconfiguration file 27.

In step 68, EPL diagnostic software 30a determines from the comparisonwhether a fault has occurred. If not, then the method returns to step62.

If a fault has been detected, EPL diagnostic software 30a logs the faultin EPL fault data file 26a.

In step 69, EPL diagnostic software 30a displays the fault condition anda recommendation on display 22. Alternatively, EPL diagnostic softwaremay activate noisemaker 25 or cause a printer to print an error messagein step 70.

In step 72, EPL diagnostic software 30a notifies retail establishmentpersonnel and support system 32 of the problem and sends a supportrequest containing the fault condition and recommendation to supportsystem 32. Notification of support system 32 and retail establishmentpersonnel could be in the form of a displayed, printed, or auralmessage. Preferably, display 22 is used to notify retail establishmentpersonnel. The method then returns to step 62 to continue monitoring EPLsystem 11.

Advantageously, EPL diagnostic software 30a provides immediate andautomatic notification of critical component failure to retailestablishment personnel and to EPL technicians. Notification ofnon-critical component failure may be delayed.

EPL diagnostic software 30a performs tests which are listed in FIG. 5.

Examples of failures that are monitored and reported by EPL diagnosticsoftware 30a are shown in FIG. 5.

When a fault occurs, the fault may be determined by implementing one ormore tests. For example, if a CBS test on all of CBSs 15a-d indicatesthat all of CBSs 15a-d have failed, the failure may have been caused byany one of a plurality of causes, least probable of which aresubstantially simultaneous failures of CBSs 15a-d. A failure of serialport 31a is one possible cause, therefore, a port test is performed. Ifserial port 31a has failed, EPL diagnostic software 30a generates asupport request which is sent to support system 32 by communicationcircuitry 24.

If serial port 31a has not failed, CBS 15a or cable 33a may have failed.A failure of either prevents messages from reaching CBSs 15b-d. To testthis cause, CBS 15c is configured as the master CBS and a CBS test isperformed on each CBS 15a-d. If CBS 15a passes the CBS test, then cable33a is the likely cause of failure. EPL diagnostic software 30agenerates a support request which is sent to support system 32 bycommunication circuitry 24.

If CBS 15a does not pass the test, and other CBSs also do not pass thetest, a power supply test is performed to determine whether power supply16a is the cause of the failure. If both CBS 15a and CBS 15b havefailed, the power supply test compares the failure of CBSs 15a and 15bto EPL system configuration file 27. Since CBSs 15a and 15b are bothpowered by power supply 16a, a failure of power supply 16a is the likelycause. EPL diagnostic software 30a generates a support request which issent to support system 32 by communication circuitry 24.

As another example of how the tests in FIG. 4 can be combined todiagnose faults in FIG. 6, suppose that EPL diagnostic software 30aqueries EPLs 18a-d and provides a preliminary indication that one ormore of EPLs 18a-d are not working or not in system 11. If only one EPLis down, then the EPL is down or the EPL is not listed in EPL data file28.

If a plurality of EPLs 18a-d are down, then one of CBSs 15a-d isprobably down since it is not probable that a plurality of EPLs 18a-dwould fail substantially simultaneously. A CBS test is performed on theCBS associated with the down EPLs. If the CBS is down, EPL diagnosticsoftware 30a generates a support request which is sent to support system32 by communication circuitry 24.

If the CBS is not down, then only part of the CBS may be down. Thetransmitter portion of CBS circuitry 39 may be the likely cause.Therefore, a CBS transmit test is performed. If the CBS cannot transmitto its associated EPLs, then EPL diagnostic software 30a generates asupport request which is sent to support system 32 by communicationcircuitry 24.

Turning now to FIG. 7, the operation of status monitoring software 54 isillustrated beginning with START 80.

In step 82, status monitoring software 54 reads EPL fault data file 26a,POS fault data file 26b, and credit fault data file 26c.

In step 84, status monitoring software 54 determines whether an errorhas been logged in any of EPL fault data file 26a, POS fault data file26b, or credit fault data file 26c. If not, status monitoring software54 instructs EPLs 19a-d to display a system normal message in step 84and operation returns to step 82 to continue monitoring. A system normalmessage is one that indicates no errors have occurred. For example, thesystem normal message may be the current time, "OK [time]", "EPL OK","POS OK", "CREDIT OK", or any other desirable message.

Status monitoring software 54 instructs EPL control software 20 to senda data change message addressed to EPLs 19a-d. The data change messagecontains the system normal message.

If status monitoring software 54 finds that an error has been logged inEPL fault data file 26a, POS fault data file 26b, or credit fault datafile 26c, operation proceeds to step 88 in which status monitoringsoftware 54 instructs EPLs 19a-d to display a system error message. Asystem error message is one that indicates that an error has occurred.For example, the system error message may be the time the error wasdiscovered, "CK EPL", "CK POS", "CK CREDIT", or any other desirablemessage. More detail on the specific error may be determined by retailestablishment personnel by examining the reports generated by diagnosticsoftware 30a-c in each of the systems 11, 50, and 52.

Status monitoring software 54 instructs EPL control software 20 to senda data change message addressed to EPLs 19a-d. The data change messagecontains the system error message.

Store personnel must also be alerted to EPL system failures whichprohibit communication to the status EPLs 19a-d. Status EPLs 19a-d alertstore personnel to these type of failures in the following manner:Status monitoring software 54 sends EPLs 19a-d a message to display "EPLOK". Next, status monitoring software 54 schedules status EPLs 19a-d todisplay EPL "DOWN" by sending a promotional message. Before the "EPLDOWN" message is displayed, status monitoring software 54 delays thepromotional message by sending another scheduled promotional message.This process is repeated until a critical EPL system failure occurs,such as failure of CBS power supplies 16a-b. Failures of CBS powersupplies 16a-b causes all EPL radio frequency communication to cease,and status EPLs 19a-d will display the scheduled promotional message"EPL DOWN".

Alternative message formats are also envisioned. For example, thedisplay format may include a combination of time and status at periodicintervals: `0815 EPL OK` and then 15 minutes later `0830 EPL OK`. Thisformat would continue on the interval as defined (15 minutes in thiscase) until there is a major error in the system. If a major error wereto occur at 0835, the displayed message would not change to 0845.

In step 90, EPLs 19a-d continue to display the system error messageuntil retail establishment personnel notice the system error message onat least one of EPLs 19a-d and clear the system error message at EPLcomputer 12 by sending another price change message addressed to EPLs19a-d. The price change message contains a system normal message.

Alternatively, EPLs 19a-d continue to display the system error messageuntil retail establishment personnel monitoring EPLs 19a-d clear thesystem error message by pressing the button on the EPL. EPL statusmonitoring software 54 identifies which status EPL 19a-d acknowledgedthe failure, and records the time of the acknowledgment in EPL faultdata file 26a. EPL status monitoring software 54 clears the system errormessage by sending a message to EPLs 19a-d.

Operation returns to step 82 to monitor for further errors.

EPL system 11 can continue to display system error messages in the faceof system failures. The system can pre-send a generic failure message toan EPL. This present generic failure message will automatically bedisplayed after a certain amount of time following a failure. Thus, thesystem error message would be displayed even during such failures asserial port failure, 33a-b cable failures, power supply failures, EPLcomputer failure.

When the EPL system is partially functioning, status monitoring software54 alerts store personnel by sending messages to EPLs 19a-d. Partialfailures include CBS receive antenna failures, CBS transmit antennafailures, isolated EPL tag failures, and EPL system software failures. Apartial failure may also occur when a single power supply fails in anEPL system having multiple power supplies, a cable fails but doesn'tdisable all CBSs, or when a single CBS fails.

Although the present invention has been described with particularreference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations andmodifications of the present invention can be effected within the spiritand scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A first system for reporting a status of a secondsystem comprising:a plurality of EPLs, including a group of EPLs whichdisplay price information and at least one EPL which displays the statusof the second system; and a computer coupled to the plurality of EPLswhich causes the EPLs in the group of EPLs to display the priceinformation and which causes the one EPL to display a status messageindicating the status of the second system; wherein the second system isa POS system.
 2. A first system for reporting a status of a secondsystem comprising:a plurality of EPLs, including a group of EPLs whichdisplay price information and at least one EPL which displays the statusof the second system; and a computer coupled to the plurality of EPLswhich causes the EPLs in the group of EPLs to display the priceinformation and which causes the one EPL to display a status messageindicating the status of the second system; wherein the second system isa credit check system.